Tigers display power, finesse

Dierking rushes for 185 yards, 2 scores

2 TD passes by Danly

Wheaton Warrenville South 31, Naperville Central 17

Running back Dan Dierking and quarterback Scott Danly made a powerful statement Friday night at Red Grange Field in Wheaton.

The power burst of Dierking and the finesse of Danly led No. 11 Wheaton Warrenville South to a 31-17 victory over No. 6 Naperville Central in their DuPage Valley Conference opener.

"We ran right at their linebackers in the second half, and I think their defense got a little tired," said Dierking, a junior who rushed for 185 yards and two touchdowns on 31 carries. "Everybody was saying Naperville had faced Lincoln-Way East last week and we had only beaten Waubonsie Valley. Well, we came out and showed we're for real."

Wheaton South (3-0) went ahead 17-10 midway through the third quarter on a 25-yard fade pass from Danly to John Wolfe, who took the ball away from a Naperville defensive back.

"I have so much confidence in Wolfe," said Danly, who completed 12 of 24 passes for 173 yards and two TDs--both to Wolfe. "I threw it up there, and I knew he'd come down with it."

Wheaton scored twice in a row on Wolfe's 5-yard catch and Dierking's 5-yard run and demonstrated a balance that will be difficult to stop.

"Dan sets up our passing with his amazing runs," Danly said. "He is such a powerful part of our offense that defenses have to worry about him all the time."

Both teams had trouble holding onto the football in the first quarter.

Wheaton South's receivers dropped four passes while Joyce fumbled the ball away once and lost it a second time on a pitchout from quarterback Steve Rickert.

Chris Arthurs recovered the first fumble for Wheaton at the Naperville 29, but the Tigers came away empty. Next possession, Anthony Miele pounced on a loose ball at the Redhawks' 16. But Naperville's defense rose up and limited the Tigers to a Patrick Rooney 28-yard field goal.

Wheaton's offense got untracked near the end of the first quarter with a pair of Danly completions to Mike Berttucci for 29 total yards and one to John Wolfe for 22. That set up Dierking for his 13-yard touchdown run and a 10-0 lead.

Early in the second quarter, Joyce broke away on a 56-yard touchdown run and the Redhawks were within three.

Midway through the quarter, Eric Senkbeil's 27-yard field goal tied the game 10-10.